Chapter 64: Qingcheng Back Mountain

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Qingcheng Back Mountain

Since they arrived quite late, Su Yunzhou simply drove the car straight to Five Dragon Gully at Qingcheng Back Mountain.

Parking spaces were incredibly hard to find. Fortunately, Su Yunzhou was resourceful; he found a local vendor, bought raincoats, trekking poles, and some snacks from him, and paid a hundred-yuan parking fee so they could park in the vendor’s private courtyard.

The enthusiastic owner warned them that since it had rained the night before, they should be careful of slippery mountain paths.

Thus, the hiking trio set off at a leisurely pace around 10:30 in the morning.

The weather was overcast, devoid of sunshine, yet exceptionally cool.

The three began their trek from Five Dragon Gully.

Li Yan led the way in high spirits, introducing the area as they walked. "This route is absolutely beautiful. There are many small waterfalls along the way, and the scenery is pleasant..."

Carrying his backpack, Su Yunzhou smiled, nodded, and followed. "I’ll definitely take some gorgeous photos of you two beauties today."

Walking beside her best friend, Liu Yiyi found that her pre-departure excitement had mostly dissipated. Compounded by her exhaustion from the previous night, she was panting after only a short distance.

Li Yan held her friend’s hand and expressed her concern, but Liu Yiyi brushed it off, claiming her period was about to start.

Stopping and starting, the trio eventually reached a picturesque waterfall. Many hikers had gathered here to take photos and check in.

Among them, a hiking group composed of handsome young men and beautiful women was particularly eye-catching. Judging by their accents, they seemed to be tourists from out of town, perhaps here for a graduation trip or something similar.

The seven or eight girls were dressed in bold, fashionable outfits. The two most energetic girls, in particular, wore form-fitting black athletic leggings and sports bras, with sun protection jackets tied around their waists. They radiated a youthful, vibrant energy that easily drew the gazes of the boys around them.

The boys beside them were likely local friends. Like peacocks displaying their feathers, they exerted their masculine charm, laughing and chatting with the girls.

Seeing this, Su Yunzhou smiled and turned to the two equally eye-catching women beside him.

"Actually, I’ve always been curious," he said.

"Curious about what?"

"Why people online always say you shouldn’t wear yoga pants when hiking."

Li Yan smiled but said nothing, selectively ignoring him.

Liu Yiyi rolled her eyes at him. "I think you’re asking a question you already know the answer to."

Su Yunzhou scratched his head and chuckled. "Hehe! I really don’t get it."

Li Yan couldn’t help but laugh. Pointing ahead to change the subject, she said, "It looks like they’ll be taking photos for a while longer. Let’s keep heading up!"

The other two nodded in agreement, and they resumed their trek. There were quite a few hikers on the trail, and for some reason, the majority seemed to be pretty girls.

An array of colorful yoga pants, athletic shorts, and short skirts dazzled the eyes. Those fair legs and sweat-glistening cleavages were truly a feast for the eyes.

However, since he was accompanied by his own beauties, Su Yunzhou didn’t dare be too brazen. He only stole a few glances before looking away. He thought, "No wonder guys always wear sunglasses when hiking. I definitely need to buy a pair at the scenic area’s shop later."

After walking for about twenty minutes, Su Yunzhou swallowed hard and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was starting to feel a bit out of breath. Sure enough, you really shouldn’t mess around the night before a hike.

Not to mention Liu Yiyi. Although what was happening beneath her hiking clothes remained a mystery, the fine sweat on her forehead had already dampened the hair at her temples. Her delicate face was flushed, and she was panting heavily, exuding a unique sense of beauty.

Li Yan, despite carrying the most "weight," was in much better shape.

"Yiyi, it seems you’ve been neglecting your exercise lately."

Liu Yiyi held her best friend’s hand and gave an awkward smile.

After walking a bit further, a pavilion appeared ahead, and the trio decided to rest there.

Inside the pavilion sat a pudgy, middle-aged man with large ears. He was sweating profusely—his head practically steaming—and fanning himself with his hand. He was accompanied by a curvy little beauty.

The little beauty was snapping photos non-stop, looking extremely excited. She wasn’t tall, but she had a well-proportioned figure. Wearing greenish-gray yoga pants paired with black calf-high socks, she had quite an appealing vibe.

The middle-aged man looked at the two uniquely charming mature women, then turned to Su Yunzhou sitting nearby and gave an understanding smile.

"Not bad, young man!"

Su Yunzhou chuckled. "Your taste is also quite exceptional, my friend."

The two exchanged a smile; everything was understood without another word.

The middle-aged man kept wiping his sweat. "I’m getting old; I can’t compare to you young folks. Climbing this mountain is more exhausting than anything."

Just then, two middle-aged men walking at a brisk pace appeared at the pavilion.

The slightly older one was tall and robust, with smooth muscle lines visible beneath his quick-dry short-sleeve shirt. He glanced at the watch on his wrist and said, "Hong, your mountain running is slipping!"

Hong, who looked to be in his thirties and had a tall, muscular build, panted slightly. "Captain Wu, I just have a larger body mass, so I burn energy faster. My speed might lag, but my endurance is absolutely fine."

"HAHAHA!"

The man addressed as Captain Wu took a sip of water and laughed heartily. "Stop making excuses. Come on, let’s keep moving."

The two paused briefly before resuming their mountain run. Their speed left both Su Yunzhou and the pudgy middle-aged man looking on in envy.

Before long, the beautiful hiking group from earlier also arrived, laughing and chatting.

The middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, his gaze locked directly onto the girl wearing a sports bra that exposed her toned abs.

The little beauty accompanying him curled her lip and scoffed coldly.

The middle-aged man immediately caught on and quickly averted his eyes, thinking it was best to look less.

Su Yunzhou chuckled. Having rested enough, he signaled it was time to move on.

Liu Yiyi and Li Yan walked in front.

Looking at their perfectly rounded rears and slender, straight legs, Su Yunzhou couldn’t help but feel his thoughts wandering. For some reason, he thought of a netizen with the username "A Man of Qi Has a Wife and a Concubine." Now that was a guy with a blessed sex life; his lifestyle was truly enviable.

Liu Yiyi casually glanced back and caught sight of someone’s "ill-intentioned" gaze. She immediately shot him a flustered and annoyed glare.

Su Yunzhou gave a sheepish laugh and took a few steps forward. He shot Liu Yiyi a knowing look, as if to say, "You can stare back at me, okay?"

After walking for quite a while, they finally reached Yet Another Village.

Perhaps because it had rained the night before, it was noticeably colder here than lower down the mountain. The air was slightly damp, and the lush green branches still held dewdrops, making it feel exceptionally fresh.

How did that song go again? *The sun washed in the summer rain, the fragrance of the soil after the rain.* This scent of nature was incredibly pleasant and refreshing. This was what true oxygen therapy felt like.

The name "Yet Another Village" was derived from Lu You’s famous line: "Just as the weary traveler despairs of finding a road, lo! A village appears, and the shade of willows and riotous flowers beckon."

Located halfway up Qingcheng Back Mountain, this area was a rest stop with a high concentration of restaurants. Liu Yiyi had already done her research on Little Blue Book and chosen a restaurant known for its great reputation and delicious food.

After finishing their meal, the trio was well-fed and hydrated. Although they felt a bit sleepy, they gritted their teeth and pressed on.

Before leaving, Su Yunzhou found a shop. Upon confirming they sold sunglasses, he asked the two women if they needed any.

Liu Yiyi was perplexed. "There’s no sun, so why would we need sunglasses?"

Su Yunzhou didn’t explain. He simply bought a pair for himself, put them on, and followed them toward the next scenic spot.

Sure enough, with sunglasses on, he could "openly" glance wherever he pleased.

The journey became increasingly enjoyable. He even felt his stamina improve significantly—hormones and dopamine weren’t secreted for nothing.

They had originally planned to keep walking, but Liu Yiyi’s stamina simply couldn’t hold up. Thus, the trio decided to switch to the cableway.

A short while later, they arrived at the Cableway Platform.

There were quite a few hiking socialites here taking photos. They struck various provocative poses, creating a unique and picturesque scene that caused many male tourists to stop and stare.

While waiting, Su Yunzhou spotted the middle-aged man with the little beauty. The man had his arm around her slender waist and flashed him a friendly smile.

After queuing for a while, Liu Yiyi and Li Yan shared a cable car, leaving Su Yunzhou to ride alone as he followed behind them up the mountain.

Looking down from above, the scenery was picturesque, leaving one to marvel at nature’s uncanny workmanship. The mountain path was lined with lush flowers and trees. The green canopy swayed in the wind, sketching out a magnificent painting that refreshed the mind.

After getting off the cableway, the trio followed the trail markers toward Cuiying Lake.

There were noticeably more tourists here. On the slightly slippery bluestone steps, travelers rubbed shoulders as they passed. As their pace slowed, Liu Yiyi’s condition improved significantly, and she frequently stopped to take photos with Li Yan.

"A beautiful scene and perfect times,

Strolling with beauties, my heart unwinds."

Su Yunzhou couldn’t help but compose this short limerick, making the two women chuckle.

Just then, the crowd suddenly broke into a commotion. Sounds of uproar and agitated voices drifted from up ahead.

"Everyone, step back!"

"Don’t push!"

"Make way, quickly!"

"..."